Bear Digest

The Bears and DeAndre Hopkins Mix

Would the veteran receiver fit in with the rebuilding Bears or is someone of his age and experience better off elsewhere?

Gene Chamberlain

In this story:

It's as predictable as clouds when it rains or the sun rising in the east.

Whenever a player of note becomes a free agent by being cut, Bears social media lights up with demands the team sign him.

It could be a player who is 39 years old and limps, as long as he did something once somewhere at some time there would be cries in cyberspace for the Bears to sign him.

Perhaps the only situation more predictable is a former Bears player who didn't struggle in Chicago becoming a free agent again, resulting in calls for his return.

How on earth do people think Robbie Gould should be Bears kicker when Cairo Santos missed two field goals last year? Because of a couple of missed extra points in the downpour on opening day? Wow. The all-time leader in field goal percentage in Chicago and people want him gone so they can bring back a 40-year-old kicker.

Anyway, the latest player to hit the open market is receiver DeAndre Hopkins and as usual...

Obviously this is a silly idea for the Bears and here's why:

1. DJ Moore

They just traded for a No. 1 receiver. Hopkins isn't going to be likely to come cheap. They're paying Moore more than anyone on the roster and they'll have to pay another wide receiver? There are only so many balls and Moore needs as many thrown his way as possible.

2. Crowded Receiver Group

If they lost one of their top three receivers to an injury then Hopkins might make sense. That would have to happen between now and the time someone else offers Hopkins a contract, though. Now, with Moore, they have a big three, considering they have Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool. They also have two young receivers waiting in the wings in Velus Jones Jr. and Tyler Scott. Their receiver group is set for now.

3. Defensive End Wanted

The Bears need an end on the defensive side before they get one on the offensive side. Unless Moore can rush the passer off the edge, the Bears shouldn't even think twice about him. They need an edge rusher of some type badly and any extra money under the cap they have needs to go for this.

4. Contract Extensions

Besides the edge, they need that cap cash for contract extensions to at least two or three players, including cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

5. Age

Matt Eberflus acknowledges one of their goals was to get younger in the offseason. So why would a 31-year-old wide receiver be someone they want? He'll be 31 in 10 days anyway. He's not ancient and can still contribute to a team. Some team somewhere else. The Bears are a rebuilding team in need of young players, not an older team needing another expensive receiver to get into the postseason or Super Bowl.

6. Emphasis

How many receivers are the Bears going to bring in when they were the No. 1 running team in the league last year, are running a wide-zone blocking scheme and would like to mimic the 49ers approach which greatly emphasizes physical play and running? A 31-year-old receiver like Hopkins just doesn't fit this. One of the prerequisites of any receiver in this offense is blocking alot. Is Hopkins ready for that?

7. Suspension

Guys who had performance enhancing drug suspensions anytime recently need to be looked at with suspicion.

8. He Doesn't Want to Come Here

Hopkins has already said where he wants to go and Chicago wasn't on the list. Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Buffalo, Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia, Justin Herbert and the Chargers and Lamar Jackson with the Ravens are the teams.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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